hibernation
hibernation Lexical Profile
hibernation Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by certain animals during the winter months to conserve energy when food is scarce.
"Groundhogs accumulate a thick layer of body fat in the autumn to survive several months of deep hibernation."
An extended period of inactivity, seclusion, or withdrawal from normal operations.
"The coastal resort town goes into virtual hibernation once the summer tourists depart in September."
A power-saving state in which a computer saves the contents of its random-access memory to a hard drive or solid-state drive before completely powering down.
"Putting your laptop into hibernation allows you to resume your work exactly where you left off without draining the battery."
Word Nuance & Usage
In biology, 'hibernation' specifically refers to extended winter dormancy, whereas 'estivation' (or 'aestivation') refers to a similar state of dormancy occurring during hot or dry summer periods.
• Rhymes for hibernation
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 17th century from Latin 'hibernatio' ('the action of passing the winter'), derived from 'hibernare' ('to winter'), from 'hibernus' ('wintry').